I’ve only recently started getting into Warzone, but I totally get the appeal. It’s a ton of fun, and with Caldera and the OG Warzone’s time coming to an end, it’s time to see what’s… Next. At COD Next we’ve officially seen the future of Warzone in 2.0 and the Al Mazrah map, and boy does it look bright. Check out the details from the Call Of Duty blog below, and don’t forget to check out our Modern Warfare II breakdown!
Announcing Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0
With over 125 million players dropping in to play the original Call of Duty®: Warzone™, and over 200 streamers and content creators playing an early Alpha version of Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0 at the Call of Duty®: Next event, the first official intel has dropped regarding this massive, free-to-play Battle Royale experience featuring a huge and incredibly detailed new map, a host of innovations, and many more details we plan to share between now and November 16, when Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0is officially launched – free for everyone – as part of Modern Warfare® II Season One.
Right now, here’s recap of what was shown at Call of Duty: Next:
ATTENTION! The following briefing represents only the first wave of intel related to Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 and is by no means exhaustive. Look for a number of additional intel drops to come! In addition, the original Call of Duty: Warzone is continuing on, and we’ll have more information to share in the weeks ahead.
The Biggest Call of Duty: Warzone Map Ever: Welcome to Al Mazrah!
Where are we dropping?
Glad you asked: Welcome to Al Mazrah!
Meticulously crafted and polished by a host of developers across multiple studios, offering distinct and diverse geography never experienced before in Call of Duty: Warzone before, this brand new map is immense, dynamic and rewarding, and built literally from the ground up with the emphasis on loading up your favorite custom weapon, dropping in, exploring the vast landscape, and having a hell of a good time doing it.
Expect to drop into a massive metropolitan area featuring coastal towns, depots, desert, rocky peaks, subterranean spaces, industrial areas, rivers, and an entire city to explore. Reconnoiter by land, air… and water!
In fact, Al Mazrah is so expansive, there’s a dedicated blog giving a first look and overview of the major points of interest, including hints on [REDACTED] locations for veteran players. Read it here.
A True Extension of the Modern Warfare II Universe
Expect Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 to extend the Modern Warfare II universe, and fully leverage the most advanced tech – shared for the first time across Call of Duty – to deliver an all-new and seamless Battle Royale experience before, during, and after a match. This is a Call of Duty technology built for next-gen, offering a shared experience and systems, with key learnings from Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® (2019) as well as community feedback. The key innovations discussed for Multiplayer gameplay exist across Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 as well. For a deeper dive into these innovations, check out the Call of Duty: Next: Modern Warfare II blog.
Initial Intel: Swimming and Aquatic Combat
Expect combat across the land, sea, and air as the environment expands to include rivers, lakes, parts of the ocean, and more water-logged locations. This presents an all-new set of challenges and opportunites for combat, many of which were explored within the Modern Warfare II presentation at Call of Duty: Next. With a vast map the size of Al Mazrah, clandestine swimming up river tributaries, underwater ambushes and exploration, as well as quicker movement courtesy of the RHIB or Armored Patrol Boat is all possible, expanding your combat options considerably, using the tactics you’re learning during Modern Warfare II Ground War combat.
Initial Intel: Over a Dozen Unique Vehicles
With combat across Modern Warfare II Ground War and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, you’ll have the chance to pilot, drive, or steer over a dozen new vehicles, and many of them are accessible on the Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 map Al Mazrah. Naturally, a Guide to Vehicles showcases the vehicles in readiness for their use during the Open Beta; click HERE to read more about the Tactical Vehicle, UTV, Light Tank, Heavy Chopper, and Rigid Inflatable Boat just to name a few.
What’s more, depending on the vehicle you’re commandeering, you can customize it with a skin, including the free “Floor It” Vehicle Skin you can unlock during the Open Beta (click here for intel on all ten free Open Beta rewards). In addition, expect to climb or drop onto vehicles, damage tires and doors, shoot out windows, and be on the lookout for gasoline, as every vehicle (including boats and helicopters) gradually runs out of fuel.
You’ll need to then weigh up the advantages of keeping a vehicle running and extending its longevity by tactically locating and occupying a local Gas Station (or searching for Gas canister loot). While vehicle tires can be re-inflated anywhere in the warzone, Gas Stations are smaller points of interest, but are likely to be occupised as they allow vehicle repairs to be made… and ambushes by enemy teams, so watch your six!
Naturally, if you’re using the rapid and almost-silent [REDACTED] EV as your method of transportation, a different course of refueling action is required….
Initial Intel: The Shop
As well as a new and impressive array of ground loot and adjustments on how to access and store them, one of the biggest innovations is the expanding, yet streamlining of your purchases within a match. This comes courtesy of “The Shop”. These enhanced Buy Stations serve locations to buy and upgrade equipment and weapons, including the custom weapons you created before dropping in. Here are some actions you can complete at The Shop:
- Squadmate Buy Back: Just like in Call of Duty: Warzone, you’re able to buy back a teammate after they’ve been taken down either in combat, or failed to return from the all-new Gulag.
- Buy Gear: Just like the function of the original Buy Station, you can purchase equipment such as Gas Masks, Killstreaks, Armor, and more.
- Limited Equipment: Some items are likely to be limited in number, and once purchased, they are gone from the Shop.
- Buy Weapon: Prior to a match, your main preparation is focused on creating a number of custom weapons for your next match in Al Mazrah.
- You purchase these custom weapons from here. Note this takes the place of a full Loadout (your Primary, Secondary, Tactical, and Lethal as well as Perks).
- Custom Weapons are constructed in the Gunsmith, and then bought here. They take up your weapon slots. Tacticals and Lethals are very common ground loot. Perks will not be available in Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 at launch.
Initial Intel: Circles Collapse
A choking storm gradually envelopes the Al Mazrah landscape, you may be familiar with the encroaching wall of vapor from your time in Verdansk and Caldera. This time, however, expect variations within the Circle Collapse. One possible occurance may be the result of extreme weather pattern anomalies resulting in the safe zone splitting into multiple Circles throughout a match that reconverge into a single safe zone as the match gets closer to the final circle.
Initial Intel: The Gulag
This isn’t your commanding officer’s Gulag: This is a livefire training complex as well as a prison, where foes need to be neutralized, and sometimes… partnered with? You’re dropped into a multi-level arena with only your fists, and a plan to loot, shoot, and win a decisive 2v2 battle before you’re allowed back into the big map for a second chance at victory. Optionally, your Gulag combat can include searching for an AI combatant known as “The Jailer”, dropping him, and using his key as the means of escape. Don’t forget to loot as you go; that gear comes with you if you win.
Initial Intel: AI Combatants and Strongholds
There are more than human Operators active within the Al Mazrah warzone; this is a living, breathing world with a number of AI combatants ready to defend their patch of land, all integrated into the fabric of the world. If you choose to engage AI combatants, expect a different type of firefight compared to player versus player.
If you’re concerned that AI combatants are going to get in the way between you and your W, then don’t be: It’s entirely your choice to engage the non-player combatants scattered across the map, or NOT to engage them. AI won’t actively pursue you or your squad, and you can choose never to interact with them. AI combatants have a variety of lethality levels and behaviors and are usually encountered in specific areas of the map. While they may defend their territory like a CDL pro, they won’t seek out combat.
Conversely, if you’re ready to take on any combatant you see, there are locations with a concentration of enemies dotted around the map where you’re guaranteed to have your combat mettle tested. Known as Strongholds, expect locked doors and a high density of AI combatants with a variety of innovative features to their responses depending on your tactics. Conquer a Stronghold and expect impressive loot, including an item that allows you to purchase one of your customized Gunsmith weapons at The Shop for free….
Initial Intel: DMZ
The most closely-guarded, leak-proof secret in Call of Duty history can finally be revealed; there is a special “extraction mode” coming to Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. Known as DMZ, this is a passion project for the teams at Infinity Ward and across the contributing studios, and the main premise is about choosing your own experience within the warzone, working socially if you wish, and collecting gear to keep in your Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 inventory and utilize from match to match. We’ll have much more to share about the host of new challenges, bounties, gameplay features and more when DMZ drops alongside Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0.
RICOCHET Anti-Cheat™ on Day One
RICOCHET Anti-Cheat – including its PC kernel-level driver – will be active on Day One for both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. RICOCHET Anti-Cheat is upgraded and improved for both games, combining a year of updates from #TeamRICOCHET with new features and mitigations to protect the game.
COD SHOP Next Celebration: 20% Off!
In celebration of Call of Duty: Next, we are offering 20% off all items across the COD Shop for our Call of Duty community. Drop in at the COD Gear Shop HERE, gear, up, and use Promo code: NEXT20 at checkout. Offer ends 9/18.
Finally, ensure you have the latest Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 official information by visiting the Call of Duty Blog.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 are published by Activision. Development for both games is led by Infinity Ward with additional development support provided (in alphabetical order) by Activision Central Design, Activision Central Tech, Activision Localization Dublin, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Toys for Bob, and Treyarch.
Stay Frosty.
Map Info
As shown at Call of Duty: Next, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, the sequel to the seminal Battle Royale experience over 125 million players dropped in to play, is set to arrive this November 16, as part of Modern Warfare® II’s Season One.
This massive, free-to-play offering leverages new technology shared with Modern Warfare II, introduces a host of new innovations, and continues the new era of Call of Duty coming this Fall, starting with Modern Warfare II’s launch on October 28.
NOTE: For full reveal details on Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, make sure you read the Announcement Blog before continuing.
New DZ Identified — Get Ready to Drop in!
As part of this announcement, we are excited to introduce Al Mazrah, a brand-new map for Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0.
This massive metropolitan area plays an equally gigantic role within the Modern Warfare II universe, featured within the Campaign and a pivotal part of the events following it.
Just like in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® (2019), consider Al Mazrah and its major points of interest as your new home for a variety of missions: four-player special operations, 6v6 squad battles, Ground War operations, up-to-150-player Battle Royales, and more.
Additionally, if you’ve been playing Call of Duty for a while, this new home might be more familiar than you think.
Here is your initial intel on Al Mazrah:
Located in Western Asia, the Republic of Adal defines just a small part of the original cradle of civilization, an unfortunate result of modern state lines being drawn to control the gifts it gives to the world.
No other place in the world has an abundance of natural resources right on a coast that sees an incredible amount of international trade. And that is what makes it a battleground for foreign powers at the cost of the local population.
The capital of the Republic of Adal is Al Mazrah, a fountain of strategic and luxury resources that fostered life thousands of years before the Common Era. Its history stretches through some of the greatest empires in history, as reflected in the ancient architecture across the capital.
Your missions will take place at the southernmost tip of Adal, rather than in the deserts controlled by masses of enemy troops to the north.
Starting from that northern boundary, these are Al Mazrah’s major points of interest:
Oasis
Several pools of fresh water and palm trees offer respite from the desert beyond it. Note the ancient ruins — this small area was once a means of life in a bygone age.
Taraq Village
A United Offensive reduced this once peaceful village to mere Rust and rubble. The tight confines of these areas make it conducive to small squad combat, especially duels.
Rohan Oil
One of the largest employers in the region, the Rohan Oil refinery is positioned strategically near some of Adal’s oldest petroleum derricks. Note the living quarters to the north and south of this otherwise sprawling factory.
Quarry (Al Safwa Quarry)
Massive deposits of limestone make the Quarry one of the three largest industrial areas in Al Mazrah, with nearly a dozen warehouses and hundreds of individually chiseled stone blocks.
Al Mazrah City
The past 100 years of Adal history encapsulated: High rises and modern buildings are at the core of the largest point of interest in Al Mazrah. It was planned to be the ideal city — it soon welcomed nearly a million people, who were pushed out to the slums on the outskirts.
Hydroelectric (Zarqwa Hydroelectric)
The cradle of civilization now comes full circle to the modern era with the advent of renewable energy. A mix of historical landmarks, midcentury living arrangements, and modern industrial buildings are scattered around the rivers that create electricity for this small town, as well as for the entire region.
Marshlands (Mawizeh Marshlands)
The Marshlands was once the home of the ambitious River Diamond Luxury Resort in the 20th century. Now, due to rising river levels, it and the town around it are completely flooded, both with water from the rivers and trash flowing from the city to the north.
Caves (Sattiq Caves)
A deep network of underground hideouts lies in plain sight of a small village — where a plane once crashed — built on the mountainside. Elsewhere, a tall communications tower and small collection of homes span back toward the Quarry.
Observatory (Zaya Observatory)
Atop the tallest mountain in Al Mazrah, several Domed structures, including a destroyed one, help the region chart out the stars. Note the research facilities between each of the observation buildings.
Al Sharim Pass
This old monastery and mausoleum overlook a modern village and zoo. The tallest hill contains several modernized buildings over the rest of the area, partially destroyed due to the elements and the war.
Ahkdar Village
“An Old Town Fit for a Showdown,” as one writer covering an old coup once wrote. The world heritage site consists of a central courtyard, and market areas define the western half, while more modern apartments make up the east.
Sa’id City
An extensive modern mall is juxtaposed by old apartments that housed generations of port workers. The area also contains a medieval-themed carnival and a minor league football stadium.
Port (Hafid Port)
The Port is the economic gemstone of Al Mazrah, ending the Rohan Oil pipeline out to the greater seas. Several large warehouse structures can be found inland, while the Port itself has little containers due to the international economic restrictions for the region.
Sawah Village
Rising sea levels caused this once-bustling coastal village to be submerged underwater, with a crashed freight ship being a symptom rather than the cause of the evacuated population.
Cemetery (El Samman Cemetery)
A monument to the fallen, a significant graveyard is now mostly derelict and unkempt, especially with a collapsed water tower flooding dozens of graves. The area is completely open to the elements, with a broken stone wall defining its boundaries.
Sariff Bay
Home to the country’s valuable fisheries, this Bay maintains the history of Al Mazrah, as well as Adal. It contains a vibrant downtown section with suburbs, a modern resort, and a few small islands.
Al Bagra Fortress
The definition of the region’s medieval history, this walled island city was a museum dedicated to displaying its cultural significance up until occupation. Note the large crab factory on the east end, a spillover from the adjacent Sariff Bay.
Airport (Al Malik Airport)
Terminal to the south tip of Al Mazrah, this modern airport mixes traditional and modern architecture to host both business and leisure activities. The observation tower near the sea is extremely approachable.
We will have more details on each of these major points of interest, as well as the suburbs that surround it, closer to the launch of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. In addition, the original Call of Duty: Warzone is continuing on, and we’ll have more information to share in the weeks ahead.
Stay frosty.
Stay tuned to Gaming Trend for more Call Of Duty: Warzone 2.0 news and info!
David Burdette is a gamer/writer/content creator from TN and Lead Editor for Gaming Trend. He loves Playstation, Star Wars, Marvel, and many other fandoms. He also plays way too much Call Of Duty. You can chat with him on Twitter @SplitEnd89.
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